In Santiago, there is a place where espresso sits alongside vermouth, cold brew meets bitter, and service carries the discipline of a classroom. It is called Artemisa — a venue with a dual identity. The first coffee cocktail bar in Chile, conceived as a space for applied research behind the counter, it operates as a specialty coffee bar by day and, as evening falls, shifts atmosphere to become a cocktail bar. Or rather, that kind of spot where lights dim, music frames the conversation and mixing drinks becomes the focal point of the experience.
Nadin Elias and the Making of Artemisa
Nadin Elias leads the project. Former director of Bar Academy — the country’s first mixology school, founded by Ricardo Guerrero, now her partner in Artemisa — she brings into the Las Condes venue the Academy’s educational ethos: close study of raw ingredients and a cross-disciplinary approach to the bar world. “The Academy was founded twenty-five years ago,” Elias says. “Our dream was always to create a major academy for mixologists, but also for baristas. Today I can say we were true pioneers in this field.”
Nadin Elias and a Vision That Bridges Coffee and Mixology
Artemisa is the tangible outcome of that journey. “Our educational goal is closely tied to what we build in the bar, which represents our final project. Here we bring together the two worlds we love — mixology and coffee — in a single space that holds both.” For Elias, training remains foundational. “What would I teach a bartender at the beginning of their career? First, passion for the craft — because this is a profession built on hospitality and service.”
Then comes technique. “Today I would tell bartenders to study coffee, and baristas to study mixology. These two worlds represent the future, and they need to understand them deeply.” That mindset is reflected in the guests. “Over the past five years in Santiago, the audience has grown tremendously. People want to know the products, to understand what they are drinking — and that has pushed us to refine every aspect of what we do.” In the city, coffee culture and cocktail culture are lived with equal intensity, and that evolution has strengthened the project’s identity.
Training and Passion at the Core of Artemisa
In Santiago in particular, this cultural growth has required commitment and adaptation. “It has been a challenge, but also an extremely enriching experience, because it reflects our DNA. That is why I believe it is essential to keep learning — from the great professionals who visit Santiago, and from those we can connect with today through so many channels.” For Elias, passion remains central. “Hospitality is the first step toward becoming a great professional, and also the first step in building a strong cocktail program.”
Artemisa, Where Myth Meets Signature Drinks
The concept draws on mythology. “Our idea is based on the Greek goddess who, for us, represents a parallel world.” The menu develops this narrative through twists on classics. “We imagine that Sours, Negronis or Old Fashioneds could exist in alternative versions in other worlds.” The first drink list translated that vision into thematic sections. “For example, we presented three different twists across three themes, including Entre Andes y Nipón, made with wasabi pisco and pineapple-guava cordial.” Study, exchange and service come together in the bar’s narrative identity.
The name Artemisa derives from Artemis. Yet the reference is more than linguistic — it is a symbolic reinterpretation built around the venue’s character. “We transformed her into a contemporary figure, holding a cocktail coupe in one hand and a coffee cup in the other. A kind of goddess for today’s bartenders and baristas, representing a parallel world of flavor and research behind the counter.”
The Enduring Rise of the Espresso Martini
As for cocktails, one contemporary classic stands out among the most requested. “Our best-selling coffee cocktail is the Espresso Martini — a global trend. We even have a counter, and soon we will reveal how many we have served.” Its success can be measured in the number of glasses crossing the bar each evening, and in a recipe built around a specific ingredient. “We make it unique by working with a specialty bean that we roast ourselves and know intimately.” Which bean? That remains undisclosed to anyone who has not tasted it on site. The invitation stands: “Come try it — and we will tell you.”
The article first appeared on Coqtail – for fine drinkers. Order your copy here
Photo by Emanuel Florentin x Coqtail. All rights reserved
